Former Horsham pub branded 'an eyesore' to be redeveloped
A Horsham pub which was shut two years ago and has since been branded ‘an eyesore’ is to be redeveloped.
The Station Beefeater in North Road, Horsham, was closed in 2024 amid a shake-up by Premier Inn hotel chain owners Whitbread.
It became a Premier Inn restaurant after closing – serving only those staying in the Premier Inn opposite Horsham railway station.
Local residents have since criticised the outward appearance of the former pub declaring it ‘dilapidated’, ‘a disgrace’ and ‘an eyesore.’
But Premier Inn owners Whitbread have now revealed that they plan to redevelop the building. A spokesperson said it was part of Whitbread’s ‘Accelerating Growth Plan’ it announced in 2024 and that a planning application would soon be submitted to Horsham District Council.
When first introducing its ‘growth plan,’ Whitbread said it would “deliver a better guest experience and enhance returns by replacing lower-returning restaurants with higher-returning hotel rooms in high demand locations.”
Meanwhile, local residents have been criticising the appearance of the former pub on social media. One branded it a ‘disgrace’ and said: “It does not give a very good impression to people visiting Horsham for the first time.”
Another said: “That's what they want, let it rot so then it has to be knocked down so they can but a flash place. But that goes back in Horsham's history as the Station Hotel. Very, very sad to people born and bred in Horsham.”